Explained: How the Indus Water Treaty affects India and Paksitan

The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water sharing arrangement, signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960, by then Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's President General Ayub Khan. The World Bank (the erstwhile international bank for reconstruction and development) brokered the treaty and is also a party to it.

The Indus system of rivers comprises three western rivers which includes the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab and three eastern rivers — the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi.

What does the treaty grant India and Pakistan?

Under the treaty, India has exclusive rights on the eastern rivers and their tributaries while Pakistan has exclusive rights on the western rivers. Pakistan also received a one-time financial compensation for the loss of water from the eastern rivers and to build a new canal system.

The waters of the Indus basin begin in the Himalayan mountains in the region under China. The river flows from the hills through the arid and dry states of Punjab and Sindh, converging in Pakistan, and empties out in the Arabian Sea, south of Karachi.

History of the Treaty

During the first years of Partition, the water of the Indus was apportioned by the Inter-Dominion Accord of May 5, 1948 between India and Pakistan which required India to release sufficient waters to the Pakistani regions of the basin in return for annual payments from Pakistan.

The accord was, however, meant to fulfil Pakistan's immediate requirements and was to be followed by negotiations for a more permanent solution. Thereafter, though there was a stalemate

In 1951, David Lilienthal, former Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority and of the UN Atomic Energy Commission, visited the region and recommended that, to reduce hostility between India and Pakistan, a program to develop and operate jointly the Indus basin river system could be evolved. According to him, this would also lead to a settlement of the Kashmir issue. The president of the World Bank, Eugene R Black, received the suggestion and mediated the water sharing agreement.

In December 1954, the two sides returned to the negotiating table and continued their meetings for the next six years. The Treaty led to the setting up of an Indus Water Commission to adjudicate any future dispute over the allocation of water. The commission, which has survived two wars, is required to meet regularly to discuss potential disputes and provide an ongoing machinery for consultation and conflict resolution through inspection, exchange of data and visits.

Can the treaty be revised or modified?

There is a provision for mediation and arbitration by a neutral umpire in case of any disagreement. The IWT has, so far, been implemented by both the countries faithfully. It has not gone for any modification till date, even though Article-XII of the IWT allows for any kind of modification when both parties agree. The current tensions between the two sides might, however, lead to a flashpoint.

How does it affect Jammu and Kashmir?

Jammu and Kashmir too has not been able to harness the full potential of the treaty. In 2007, the Union Water Ministry had estimated Jammu and Kashmir can increase its Irrigated Cropped Area (ICA) by 4,25,000 acres. But today, Out of 6,00,000 Hectares of cultivated land in Jammu and Kashmir only 1,50,000 Hectares is under irrigation. This has also affected hydropower generation. Current estimates suggests there is a possibility of harnessing more than 20,000 MW but today there is only an estimated 2,500 MV being harnessed.

It is revealed from the above analysis that the actual power potential of Jhelum, Chenab, Indus and Ravi are 3,560 MW, 10,360 MW, 2,060 MW and 50 MW respectively. Currently, the harnessed potential of these river basins are 750.1 MWs, 1563.8 MWs, 13.3 MWs, and 129 MWs respectively.

Power potential of Chenab

The Chenab is at the core of Jammu and Kashmir's quest for power. Of the 16,480 MW, the total identified potential of all the water resources in the state put together, Chenab alone can generate 10,360 MW. So far, only 1,531.50 MW has been harnessed.

Once the river crosses the International Border at Diawara Village in Akhnoor into Sialkot in Pakistan, the Chenab is then joined by the Jhelum River at Trimmu in the Punjab province of Pakistan, and then by the Ravi. Finally, it merges with the Sutlej at Uch Sharif to form the Panjnad (Five Rivers), which joins theIndus at Mithankot.

The water level starts soaring by late May and reaches around 50,000 cusecs by June. By August, it starts receding to the normal level.

The Indus River System Authority that compiles the annual average flows – kharif (April 01 – September 30) and rabi (October 01 – March 31) at Marala suggests certain changes in the overall discharge. The average annual flows were at 26 million acre feet between 1922-61, soared up to 27.5 maf between 1985 and 1995 and dropped to 12.38 maf in 2001-02.

Power potential of Jhelum

The river is a potential threat during floods when it gets up to 95,000 cusecs (its carrying capacity is only 40 thousand cusecs). It has an identified potential of 3,536 MW of which so far 732.60 MW has been harnessed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and 252 MW by the Power Development Corporation (PDC). Currently, another 241.85 MW capacity is under various stages of implementation.

Power potential of Indus

One of the greatest rivers of the world, the Indus's estimated annual flow stands at around 207 cubic kms. Zanskar is its left bank tributary in Ladakh as the Shyok, Shigar and Gilgit rivers carry glacial waters into the main river. Just a few small and micro hydropower projects have been set up, part of the reason being that the potential spots were far away. The NHPC has commissioned two power projects — Nimoo-Bazgoo and Chutak in Leh and Kargil with a cumulative installed capacity of 90.26 MW.